Government1 (Israel)
====================


     Elections:
       President:
         last held 23 February 1988 (next to be held February 1994); results - Chaim
         HERZOG reelected by Knesset
       Knesset:
         last held June 1992 (next to be held by NA; results - percent of vote by
         party NA; seats - (120 total) Labor Party 44, Likud bloc 12, SHAS 6,
         National Religious Party 6, Meretz 12, Agudat Yisrael 4, PAZI 3, MAKI 3,
         Tehiya Party 3, Tzomet Party 8, Moledet Party 3, Degel HaTorah 4, Center
         Movement Progressive List for Peace 1, Arab Democratic Party 2; Black
         Panthers 1, Moriya 1, Ge'ulat Yisrael 1, Unity for Peace and Aliyah 1
     Communists:
         Hadash (predominantly Arab but with Jews in its leadership) has some 1,500
         members
     Other political or pressure groups:
         Gush Emunim, Jewish nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West
         Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now, critical of government's West Bank/Gaza
         Strip and Lebanon policies
     Member of:
         AG (observer), CCC, EBRD, FAO, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
         IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO,
         ITU, OAS (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
         WMO, WTO
     Diplomatic representation:
         Ambassador Zalman SHOVAL; Chancery at 3514 International Drive NW,
         Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 364-5500; there are Israeli Consulates
         General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York,
         Philadelphia, and San Francisco
       US:
         Ambassador William HARROP; Embassy at 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv (mailing
         address is APO AE 09830; telephone [972] (3) 654338; FAX [972] (3) 663449;
         there is a US Consulate General in Jerusalem
     Flag:
         white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen
         David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands
         near the top and bottom edges of the flag